"No matter which game I play, I hate to lose" - Daniil Medvedev opens up about reasons for his mental toughness, regrets occasional 'tantrums'

One of the biggest reasons behind Daniil Medvedev's incredible mental strength is that he hates to lose more than he loves to win.

The World No. 5 defeated unseeded local hope Christopher Eubanks 6-3, 7-5 on Thursday, March 30, to reach the penultimate round in Miami for the first time in his career. The 90-minute-long match, which was interrupted by rain during the first set, saw the Russian hit nine aces and break his 119th-ranked opponent four times.

In a post-match press conference, the fourth seed was asked whether his mental toughness was a natural gift or if he worked on it. Medvedev stated that since childhood, he hated losing regardless of which sport he was playing.

"You never know what's more important, talent or hard work. Actually, both are," Medvedev said. "Starting from when I was really young, no matter which game I played, I hated losing. I actually hate to lose more than I like to win, and you can kind of see this on the court. That's something I want to improve."

The 27-year-old further revealed that while he was working with a mental coach this year, there was none in 2022. After winning back-to-back titles in Rotterdam, Doha, and Dubai, the 2021 US Open champion lost to World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the summit clash of the 2023 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

During the tournament in the desert, Medvedev expressed his displeasure with the slow courts, calling them a "disgrace." He has now admitted that it affected his concentration and didn't look good.

"For example, talking about Indian Wells, I had my tantrums, which is not good. It can throw you out of the concentration, and it's not a good look anyway, but I managed to still win matches and still be concentrated during those matches," he added.

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Daniil Medvedev to face Karen Khachanov in Miami Open 2023 SF

Karen Khachanov (L) and Daniil Medvedev

Aiming for a fifth straight tour-level final, Daniil Medvedev will take on compatriot Karen Khachanov in the semi-finals of the 2023 Miami Open. This will be the fifth meeting between the two players, with Medvedev leading 3-1 head-to-head.

The World No. 5 remarked that he shared a great relationship with Khachanov as the two players have known each other for several years.

"We know each other since such a long time," Medvedev said. "We had a good rise together to the ATP Tour. We already achieved a lot. It's great. You know, we still spend time together. We are great friends, and I feel like we respect each other a lot."

Their last match came in the quarter-finals of the Adelaide International 1, where Medvedev beat the 16th-ranked player 6-3, 6-3.

"I need to try to, yeah, to play as good as I did there in Adelaide. I played a good match. Hopefully can show good tennis and try to win," he added.

If Daniil Medvedev were to triumph in Miami for a fifth Masters 1000 title, he would become the fourth-ranked player in the ATP rankings.